The subject matter disclosed herein relates to turbomachines, and, more particularly, to a monitoring system for monitoring the structural health of turbomachines.
A turbomachine may generally be defined as a machine that is configured to transfer energy between a fluid and a rotor, which can be useful for compressing a fluid (e.g., as in a compressor), or for driving a load connected to the rotor (e.g., as in a turbine engine). Accordingly, turbomachines can be found in a number of different settings, including the aerospace industry (e.g., jet engines), the energy industry (e.g., gas turbine engines, steam and/or hydro turbines in a power plant), and automobiles (e.g., compressors).
To enable the energy transfer noted above, turbomachines will typically include a rotor, which may be a shaft, drum, disk, or wheel, and turbomachine blades attached to the rotor. In situations where energy is transferred from the fluid to the rotor, the fluid, which may be heated and/or pressurized, may act on (e.g., flow over and between) the blades to cause the rotor to rotate. Conversely, in situations where the fluid receives energy from the rotor, the rotor will be rotated, causing the blades to act on the fluid to increase the fluid's kinetic energy (e.g., flow rate) and/or potential energy (e.g., pressure). Because turbomachine components such as these are often exposed to harsh conditions, such as high temperatures and pressures, they may be subject to degradation. For example, the blades of a turbine engine may experience relatively large amounts of pressure and heat as they contact hot combustion gases, and a variety of forces may be placed upon them as they rotate. These conditions can result in deformation, cracking, and ultimate failure of the blades. This degradation can lead to reduced performance and, in some circumstances, downtime of the turbomachine for repairs.